We’re all familiar with the idea that some people are naturally “light sleepers,” but when your baby is one of those individuals who wakes up at every little peep, it can force the whole house into a forced silence during every nap and bedtime. In today’s video, I’ve got an explanation for this phenomenon and, believe it or not, a solution to the problem! I know, I know. It sounds too good to be true, but give it a try… Continue Reading
There’s nothing to compare to the level of frustration you feel when you’ve just spent an hour rocking, shushing and soothing your baby to sleep, only to put her down in her crib, silently tiptoe out of the room, and then hear her start to fuss again. 15. Minutes. Later. Why, when babies need so much sleep, do they seem to wake so frequently and have so much trouble going back to sleep afterwards? The answer is actually not all… Continue Reading
It sounds like a simple question, but like all things baby-related, it’s not such a simple answer. The optimal bedtime for your baby can depend on a lot of factors which can vary from day to day. In today’s video, I’ll give you some tips to help you figure out what those factors are and how they can help you determine the right time to say goodnight to your little one. If your baby, infant or toddler is having trouble… Continue Reading
We hear the term “cry-it-out” a lot when it comes to sleep training, and it doesn’t always have the nicest connotation. Many new parents tend to think it involves placing their newborn in the crib, closing the door, and leaving their precious new baby alone until 7:00 rolls around. For anyone under this impression, I can happily tell you that isn’t the case. I personally don’t use a traditional cry-it-out approach in The Sleep Sense Program, but I feel like… Continue Reading
If you follow the Sleep Sense Program, or have watched a few of my other videos, you’ve probably heard me refer to “sleep props” a few dozen times by now. That’s because sleep props are the single biggest obstacle to your baby sleeping through the night. “Not me,” you might be thinking. “My baby doesn’t sleep with a pacifier, stuffed animals, or toys of any kind.” And while those things are all forms of sleep props, they’re not nearly the… Continue Reading
Saying goodbye to your hour or two of free time in the afternoons can be hard, I know. But knowing when it’s time to pull the plug on your child’s naps can be even harder. They typically don’t make the transition easily, but I have some tips today to help you determine when the time is right, and how to implement the change. If your baby, infant or toddler is having trouble sleeping through the night, help is just a… Continue Reading
Toddlers have the ability to melt our hearts with their vulnerability, innocence, and abounding cuteness. And that can make it all the more confusing when they suddenly start to hit, shove, or bite. Aggressive behavior in toddlers is completely normal, as every parent knows, but that doesn’t mean that it should be permitted, or that you can’t take steps to prevent it. In today’s video, I’ll look at some of the likely causes of aggressive behavior in your toddler, and… Continue Reading
So… you’ve spent two or three years establishing the rules and maintaining a consistent routine. Your child knows the drill when bedtime rolls around, has learned how to fall asleep independently, and bedtime is typically a wonderful experience. You read some stories, sing a few songs, and spend some quality bonding time with each other before your child goes down for the night. And then one day, everything changes. Suddenly, you’ve got a toddler on your hands, and he’s challenging… Continue Reading
So you’ve broken your little one’s dependency on props, you’ve established a consistent, predictable bedtime routine, and baby’s falling asleep like a superstar at bedtime. So why is she waking up two or three times in the middle of the night and fussing until someone comes into the room to settle her? Don’t worry. You’re about 90% of the way there. Your baby has some really solid sleep skills and the majority of the hard work is behind her. Today,… Continue Reading
One of the most popular features of The Sleep Sense Program is the Stay-in-the-Room method, which allows parents to stay with their babies while they learn to fall asleep independently. It typically means less crying and parents are more likely to follow through when they’re able to respond to their baby’s protests. But obviously you can’t stay in their room with them forever, so when is it time to start putting baby down in her crib and leaving them alone… Continue Reading
Most milestones in parenthood are a little on the bittersweet side. The feeling that our babies are growing up so quickly can be emotional, to say the least. Not so much with potty training though. The day we get to stop dealing with diapers is pretty heavily weighted in the “Oh yeah!” category. But it can be tough to know if baby’s ready to take the step. And what’s the fallout if we try to potty train too early? Not… Continue Reading
I did an in home consult several years with a couple that had not shared a bed since their first daughter had arrived. She was 5. One parent slept with the 5 year old and one slept with the 2 year old. After getting to know them a bit better, I jokingly said to them one day that I was a little bit surprised that they had ever had a second child since they were not sharing a bed. They… Continue Reading